Nine service personnel on a nuclear submarine have been discharged from the Royal Navy after found positive of illicit drug use.
Earlier this month, some onboard crews of HMS Vigilant, one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent and is armed with Trident missiles, were accused of having inappropriate sexual relationships, reports the Independent.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "We do not tolerate drugs misuse by service personnel. Those found to have fallen short of our high standards face being discharged from service."
The Daily Mail reported that the drug detected by the tests was cocaine.
It has also been reported that Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has now demanded mandatory drugs testing across the entire submarine fleet to be reassured of what happened on Vigilant was an isolated incident.
The submarine has recently been embroiled in controversy over allegations of an onboard relationship between a male and female.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "We can confirm an investigation is underway, but it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. Any allegations of wrongdoing are taken very seriously and will be dealt with appropriately."
There are strict Royal Navy rules about relationships on board vessels.
Women were barred from serving on submarines until 2011 when a report found that carbon dioxide in the recycled air does not damage women fertility.
Following the lift on the ban on female submariners, some of the navy wives reportedly expressed fear that men and women working alongside in a cramped condition may lead to sex scandals.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
